RTW 2024

I come to you for protection, O LORD my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!

Psalm 7:1

Slander -
The accusations are based on hearsay, rumor, or intentional; a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report

Persecute - to wrongly and unfairly harass or oppress someone

David was claiming he was innocent of this sin, not of all sin.

"It will be well for us here to remember that this is a description of the danger to which the Psalmist was exposed from slanderous tongues. Verily this is not an overdrawn picture, for the wounds of a sword will heal, but the wounds of the tongue cut deeper than the flesh, and are not soon cured." - Charles Spurgeon

Taming the tongue includes

• All social media
• Emails
• Snail mail
• Text message
• Face-to-face conversation

What to do to avoid being part of slanderous tongues:

• Press pause: Stop and think before you press send, share, or like.
• Press delete: There’s still time, even if you typed it out.
• Walk away: Submit to the restraint of the Spirit
• Don’t go: Avoid the temptation by not accepting the invitation

Verse regarding the power of the tongue

• Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Psalm 141:3 (ESV)‍
• When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. Proverbs 10:19 (ESV) ‍
• Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21 (ESV)‍
• Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23 (ESV) 
• Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)‍
• And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. James 3:6a (ESV) ‍
• But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 (ESV) 
• For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;" 1 Peter 3:10 (ESV) 

How to correct a slanderous tongue?

• Allow God to transform your heart, for the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart (Matthew 12:34)
• Submit to the Spirit’s work

Punishing the concubines in the situation seems senseless. They were completely innocent.

When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to look after the palace and placed them in seclusion. Their needs were provided for, but he no longer slept with them. So, each of them lived like a widow until she died.
2 Samuel 20:3

And this quote regarding Sheba’s death occurring inside the city walls by John Trapp is, wow….

"Every man’s breast is a city enclosed. Every sin is a traitor that lurketh within those walls. God calleth for Sheba’s head, neither hath he any quarrel to us for our person, but for our sin. If we love the head of our traitor above the life of our soul, we shall justly perish in the vengeance."

Allow God to transform my heart. Submit to His work.